FORMER Warrington Wolves half-back Riley Dean is back in English rugby league.

The 22-year-old left The Wire at the end of last year to move to Australia and play for Queensland Cup outfit Mackay Cutters but now, he has joined League One title challengers Oldham.

He could debut for his new side in their top-of-the-table clash with Keighley on Sunday.

Dean came through the Warrington academy to make his senior debut in 2019 and made 10 first-team appearances for the club, scoring three tries and kicking five goals.

He also had several spells out on loan with the likes of Castleford Tigers, Featherstone Rovers and Newcastle Thunder among others.

"I can't wait to get going and this is a good opportunity for me to hopefully cement myself in this Oldham team for an exciting journey to be part of," Dean told Roughyeds TV.

“It was a great experience and a new way of life in Australia, learning some life lessons and that was an opportunity I wanted to take.

“This now is an opportunity that I did not want to let go and I'm glad I have taken it.

“I get on with Longy (Oldham head coach Sean Long), he is a really good bloke outside of rugby and he doesn't really put the ball down that often.

“He is one of the big reasons I have come back, with the depth and bank of knowledge he has got – if I can take five per cent of that, it is good enough for me.

“He and (managing director) Mike Ford laid out the vision of this club and I hope I can play my part to get it to where it deserves to be."